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What are the different types of earpiece?

An earpiece allows Security Professionals to communicate in a covert manner without anyone noticing. Earpieces are important to allow communication between the wearer and his/ her team discreetly. There are many earpiece models and makes that a security agent can wear but typically, earpieces are of two major categories i.e. wireless and wired. Within these two categories, there are varying versions and models available. Several factors affect the choice of the ideal earpiece, these factors include:

â¢ Discreetness- Security officials can chose an earpiece based on how discrete they want to be. The level of discreetness is determined by the earpiece style and colour of the coiled tube. In-the ear earpieces are obviously discreet because they are worn inside the ear than over-the ear earpiece- with the wires and all. You can choose a colourless earpiece as opposed to a coloured one for more secrecy or choose a wired earpiece altogether for total secrecy.

â¢ Comfort- You obviously want the earpiece you chose to be comfortable to wear. Choose an earpiece that fits well and that is made with hypo allergic materials. Some of the important questions to ask before choosing an earpiece include how easy the earpiece is to wear and remove, how easy is to use and control the device, can the earpiece remain intact as long as necessary without falling off.

â¢ Versatility- The right earpiece should make it possible to wear underneath the clothes, attached to a collar or back of the tie.

â¢ Tastes and preferences- Different individuals have different tastes and preferences. You can chose an earpiece that meets your needs and preferences in terms of comfort, style and colour

A security earpiece is normally worn inside or put around the ear depending on the type you choose and is usually connected to a 2- way radio or related device. An earpiece is also worn with a microphone and receiver that makes it possible for a person to communicate with other people wearing a similar earpiece.

Earpieces are normally won by bodyguards and security personnel for instance the US secret service, law enforcement officers and private bodyguards and security personnel to allow discreet communication for security purposes. Earpieces are either wired or wireless, with each type having different models, types, styles and makes

Earpieces can either be worn around the ear or in the entrance of the ear as a small ear bud. For extra discreetness, wireless earpieces are often preferred over wired ones since it’s hard to tell that someone is actually wearing a wireless earpiece as opposed to a wired earpiece. Wireless earpieces often receive signals wirelessly. A person needs to wear a separate microphone at the end of a sleeve or on a lapel. To send a message, the wearer needs to speak into the microphone and receive messages via the wireless earpiece

A wired earpiece works in the same way as a wireless earpiece the only difference is that the receiver is connected to the earpiece with a wire that anyone can see. However, the wire can be transparent to make it harder for people to notice. The wire is normally worn around the back of the ear to get out of the wearers way.

There are different types of wired earpieces including one wire, two-wire and three wire. One wire microphone consists of a single wire and no microphone, two- wire comprises of an earpiece and a single wire connecting the earpiece to the microphone which is usually connected to a sleeve or lapel.

A three-wire earpiece comprises of an earpiece, a microphone worn on the lapel, and a third wire that normally connects to a separate device on the hand to allow the wearer to activate the microphone at his discretion.

As mentioned above there are typically two types of earpieces and a wide variety of models under each type. The ideal earpiece will be determined by the wearer’s preferences, level of secrecy wanted, cost, comfort, and how versatile the device is.

The market is flooded with various models and makes so it’s important to understand your needs before buying an earpiece. Buy your earpiece from a reputable source. Do some research before buying your ideal security earpiece to understand the features, components, advantages, and disadvantages.